Bridge warning device



Dec. 18, 1956 c. H. BUDDE BRIDGE WARNING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 5, 1955 Charles H. Budde IN VEN TOR.

Dec. 18, 1956 c. H. BUDDE BRIDGE WARNING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 5, 1955 IN V ENTOR.

Char/as H. Budd? Fig. .2

United States Patent BRIDGE WARNING DEVICE C a l s Builds, St. L uis, Mo-

Application August 5, 1955, Serial No. 526,658

Claims. (Cl. 1165114) This invention relates generally to warning devices and particularly to a device constructed especially for indicating wash-outs and/ or rail breakage in a bridge.

object of this invention is to provide a warning device on a bridge which has the primary function of indicating, such as by rendering a warning signal, when the bridge is washed out thereby preventing automobiles from approaching the washed out part of the bridge and which has the secondary function of rendering a warning if an automotive vehicle crashes into the side guard rails of the bridge.

Another object of this invention is to provide a signal d vi f r u e n a bri ge which ncl des a post havin a sign at the end thereof, this Post being adapted to swing across at least one lane of the bridge in the event that the bridge is washed out or the rail is broken as by being struck by a vehicle, this post being normally held in a vertical or generally vertical position and lowered by gravity when a stop is withdrawn from the end of the post.

A further object of this invention is to provide a warning device as described above, the device further including a cable which extends parallel to the guard rail of the bridge and which has the outer end anchored and the inner end connected to the post stop, there being provided .a breaking link or other frangible device which will permit enough force to be transmitted from the cable to the stop to withdraw the stop from contact with the post but which will not permit enough force to be applied to :the stop to cause serious damage thereto.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a typical bridge on which the invention may be applied;

Figure 2 is a side view of the means of supporting the lower end of the post, parts being broken away in section to illustrate internal details;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View taken on the plane of line 3-3 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the outer end anchor for the cable, parts being broken in section to illustrate the internal detail; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the frangible breaking link forming a part of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings there is a bridge of customary and usual construction having guard rails 12 and 14 at the side edges of the riding surface 16. The warning device consists of a post 18 having a flag or other signaling device 20 at the outer end thereof. The lower end has a cross member 22 fixed to and adjacent to the terminal part, leaving a stud 24. The cross member 22 is disposed in a tubular bearing 26 that is located at the top of housing 28. This housing has a suitable mounting flange 30 which is adapted to be bolted to one of the posts 2,774,325 Patented Dec. 18, 1956 See 2 of the guard rail 12. Anidenticalconstruct-ion is provided for the guard rail 14.

Post 18 is retained normally in an approximately vertical position, tilting slightly in one direction so that the stud 24 will bear by the pull of gravity on the post, again-st a stop '32. This stop consists of a pin 34 slidable in the housing supported bearing 36 and having an arm 38 welded or otherwise fixed thereto and projecting laterally therefrom. A spring 40 is attached to the ,arm 38 and to a mounting ear in the housing 28, the spring 40 constantly biasing the pin 34 in such direction that it remains in contact with the ,stud 24, with the normal weight of the post 18 pressing the stud 24 firmly against thepin 34. In this way the normal position for the post 18 is approximately vertical.

Means for operating the stop 32 in order to allow the weight of the post 18 to bring it to a generally horizontal position, are provided in association with the pin 34. The preferred means for actuating the stop 32 consists of a cable 44 disposed in a conduit 46, the latter being connected at one end to the housing 28 and at the other end to an anchoring plate 48. The anchoring plate is secured to a post of the guard rail 12 at the end of the guard rail opposite to the end having housing 28 connected thereto. Thrust member 50 is placed across the end of conduit 46 and has a nut and jamb nut assembly 52 bearing there- .against, the nuts being secured to the threaded end 54 of the cable 44. The opposite end of cable 44 is connected to the pin 34 by means of a frangible connector which breaks open in response to force applied thereto beyond a predetermined level. The breaking link is seen best in Figure 5 and comprises a plate 58 having an aperture 60 through which the end of the cable is adapted to pass. Then, a cable connector 62 is used to form a loop in the end of cable 44, the loop being disposed inthe opening 60. Plate 58 has hinge butts 64 on it accommodating a hinge pin that extends through the bight 66 of a bendable link 68. This link is open at one end and is made of reasonable strong, but bendable metal. The open ends of the link 68 are passed through an opening 70 in the pin 34, whereby when a sufficient amount of force is applied on the cable 44 in a direction to pull the pin 34, it is pulled against the opposition of spring 40 until it is separated from the stud portion 24 of post 18. Continued force in the same direction will cause the breaking link to open whereby the mechanism in housing 28 is protected from being broken.

When the stop 32 is removed from its operative con nection with the post 18, the post, due to its normal weight, swings in a pivotal manner in such direction as to extend across at least one lane of the riding surface 16. As the post swings downwardly (Figure 3) about the longitudinal axis of the cross member 22, a part of the post 18 above the transverse cross member 24 comes to rest upon the surface 74 of the top of the housing 28, and a surface of the stud portion 24 comes to rest upon the inner surface 76 of another part of the top of the housing 28. This contacting relationship prevents the post from moving beyond a generally horizontal position.

It is apparent that if one end of the bridge 10 is washed out, a force will be applied to the cable 44 causing the post 18 to be lowered in a warning position. Moreover, if a vehicle crashes through the guard rail 12 or 14, the appropriate cable will be actuated in order to provide a similar warning. In either instance, if the force applied on the cable 44 is too great the breaking link in the cable will become fractured thereby preventing unnecessary injury to the mechanism in the housing 28.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the" exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications'and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention claimed, 7

- 'What is claimed as new is as follows: 1 I, 6

l. A warning device for a bridge to indicate washout, said device comprising a cable extending the full-length of the bridge, means anchoring one end of said cableya housingin which the opposite end of said cable is disposed, 'a Warning device having a post and movableto a position across at least one lane of the bridge, means pivotally connecting said post to said housing, a movable stop in said housing and contacted by said post to hold saidrpost'erect, frangible means connecting said stop to V said'c'able in order to prevent said cable from applying excessive force to said movable stop but transmitting sufficient force from said cable to said top to actuate the latter, and resilient means reacting on said stop and said housing constantly urging said stop in a direction to engage andhold said post. i 6

I 2'; The bridge warning device of claim I; wherein said irangible'means comprises a breaking link.

3, In combination with a bridge guard rail which ex- I 'tends'the length of the bridge, a Warning device comprising a conduit secured to and extending along said guard' rail, a cable in said conduit and slidable longitudinally of the conduit, means connected to the end of said conduit and to one end of said guard rail for anchoring an end of said cable, a housing mounted at the opposite end end of said post to hold said post erect on said housing, 4

means connecting saidstopto said cablefor actuation not said stop in response to a tensile force applied to said 2,774,826 a o j I cable in one direction, and yielding means opposing the movement of said stop in that same direction.

4. In combination witha bridge guard rail which ex tends the length of the bridge, a warning device comprising a conduit secured to and extending along said a guard rail, a cable in said conduit and slidable longitudinally of the conduit, means connected to the end of said conduit andlto one end of said guardrail for anchoring an end of said cable, a housing mounted at the opposite end of said conduit and having the opposite end of said cable located therein, mounting means forsaid housing and connecting said housing to an end of said guard rail, a hearing at the'topof said housing, a post, a crossvmember fixed to said post adjacent to but spaced from one end i of said post, said cross member being disposed in said bearing and adapted to rotate therein, a signaling device at the opposite end of said post, a stop contactible by the opposite end of said post to hold said post erect on said housing, means connecting said stop to said cable for actuation of said stop in response to a tensile force applied to said cable in one direction, and yielding means opposing'the movement of said stop in that same direction, said yielding means comprising a spring secured to said housing and said stop, and surfaces of said housing on the 'inner'and outer sides of the stop of said housing constituting' abutments' against which spaced portions of said post are adapted to bear when said stop is withdrawn from said post and said post pivotally swings to the generally horizontal position. e 6

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein the means con-' necting said stop with said cable consists of a frangible breaking link adapted to rupture when a force above a predetermined force level is applied thereto;

- lRferences Cited in the file of this patent j I UNITED STATES PATENTS Gufiey Jams, 1954 

